Senzaemon Nakiri
}} |kanji = 薙切 仙左衛門 |romaji = Nakiri Senzaemon |alias = The Food's Demon King |status = Alive |age = |gender = Male |height = |cuisine style = |food forte = |family = Azami Nakiri (Son-in-law) Leonora Nakiri (Daughter-in-law) Erina Nakiri (Granddaughter) Alice Nakiri (Granddaughter) |occupation = Former Director of Tōtsuki Culinary Academy (As of Chapter 134) |manga = Chapter 4 |voice actor = Banjō GingaMyAnimeList |anime = Episode 2 (Cameo) Episode 3 (Full Appearance) }} Senzaemon Nakiri (薙切 仙左衛門 Nakiri Senzaemon) is a highly respected culinary expert in the world. He was the Director of Tōtsuki Culinary Academy until he was usurped of the position by his son-in-law, Azami Nakiri. Appearance Senzaemon is an elderly man, who has long spiky white hair with a mustache and a beard. He also has a scar on his right eye running diagonally from the middle of his forehead down to just above his right cheekbone. Despite his advanced age, Senzaemon is incredibly fit and muscular. Senzaemon has a very intense, intimidating look when most students look at him, though he can sometimes have a comical and softer expressions. His wardrobe consists of an olive-colored yukata tied by a white obi and normally walks around with geta. During the 43rd Annual Tōtsuki Autumn Election Quarterfinals, Senzaemon wore a haori over his yukata. He also apparently wears a fundoshi. Personality As one of the most highly regarded figures in the culinary world, Senzaemon is treated with the utmost respect from those in the industry. As the current director of Tōtsuki Culinary Academy, Senzaemon holds an iron-clad philosophy in regards to culinary arts with the strict policy that his academy is infamous for. He has high expectations for his students and does not tolerate failure. He highly values tenacity, spirit, and courage, especially those who display such mettle in the face of adversity. He has taken a special interest in the 92nd Tōtsuki Generation which currently hosts a wide variety of students who come from various backgrounds and have continued to innovate and exceed his expectations. Senzaemon is a particularly hard individual to impress given his notoriety. Should a student manage to impress him, Senzaemon has the unusual habit of striping off the top part of his yukata as a clear sign. In rare instances, Senzaemon may not disrobe himself, but his fundoshi may unravel instead. Though the crowd may not notice it, Senzaemon will be the only person to notice this and takes this as a sign of great hidden potential in a student. Senzaemon is a loving family man and is particularly fond of his granddaughter, Erina Nakiri as he wasted no time to foster her extraordinary ability, ''God's Tongue''.'' He has shown to have a solid bond with his other granddaughter Alice Nakiri. However, he is not biased by their familial relationship as he overruled Erina's decision to deny Sōma entrance from Tōtsuki and declared that Alice's dish was inferior to Sōma's dish during the Autumn Election. He also excommunicated his son-in-law, Azami Nakiri, when his demented ideologies of cooking was being forced onto Erina, putting her well being in jeopardy. History Senzaemon became an influential figure in the culinary industry, building a fearsome reputation as the "Food's Demon King". His efforts and accomplishments eventually led him to establish the Tōtsuki Culinary Academy to build the perfect chefs for the industry. Senzaemon eventually had a family of his own, at least having two children; a son and a daughter. His son eventually wed Leonora Nakiri and had a daughter of his own, Alice Nakiri. His daughter married Azami Nakamura and together had a daughter, Erina Nakiri. During Erina's youth, Azami subjected Erina to a particularly brutal training regime to improve her rare ability, ''God's Tongue. Senzaemon caught wind of his "brainwashing" and promptly exiled him from the Nakiri family and Tōsuki itself, erasing all traces of his presence. Senzaemon then became Erina's legal guardian and became highly devoted to fostering his granddaughter's culinary skills to repair the damage. Around the time the 92nd Tōtsuki Generation was about to enter the high school section of Tōtsuki, Senzaemon called up Jōichirō Yukihira, recommending that he should send his son to attend Tōtsuki. Plot The 92nd Orientation Ceremony Main article: Introduction Arc After the entrance examination conducted by Erina concluded, Senzaemon went to the examination kitchen. Upon entering, he saw the Transforming Furikake Gohan and the report of Sōma Yukihira, who was denied entrance into the academy. With a single taste of Sōma's dish, Senzaemon instantly annulled Erina's judgement and immediately sent Sōma a letter of acceptance. One month later, Senzaemon welcomed the 92nd Tōtsuki Generation into the high school section of Tōtsuki Culinary Academy during their Spring Orientation Ceremony. During his speech, he wished the newest Tōtsuki generation the best, but warned them that their lives will be more cutthroat as their class size will significantly shrink by the end of their three years. To conclude his speech, Senzaemon welcomed Sōma onto the stage, who was the only student to be accepted into Tōtsuki at the high school level. Standing on the sidelines, he watched Sōma declare that he would stand on the top and saw him stand up to his granddaughter, happy to see that he made the right choice to accept Sōma into the academy. Several weeks later, Senzaemon approved of Erina's Shokugeki against the Chan RS. Tōtsuki Autumn Election: Preliminary Round Main article: Tōtsuki Autumn Election Arc Several months later, Senzaemon greeted the 92nd Generation as they were about to start the 43rd Annual Tōtsuki Autumn Election Preliminary round. After a small mishap at the start of his speech, Senzaemon gave the 92nd Generation some words of wisdom, telling them that many previous Elite Ten Council members, including the likes of Kojirō Shinomiya and Gin Dōjima, were once standing in their shoes many years ago. Wishing them the best of luck, Senzaemon officially began the Preliminaries. Tōtsuki Autumn Election: Main Tournament See also: 43rd Annual Tōtsuki Autumn Election Quarterfinals: Day One Two weeks after the Preliminary Round, Senzaemon appeared as one of the judges in the Main Tournament. The first Quarterfinal round was between Sōma Yukihira and his granddaughter, Alice Nakiri with the culinary theme: Bento. As both contestants entered the arena, Senzaemon was greeted by Alice while listening to his fellow judges' compliments about Alice's past accomplishments. As Alice and Sōma unveiled their culinary equipment, the Quarterfinals began. Alice finished cooking her dish first and walked up to the judges, holding trays with transparent domes. Upon closer inspection, Senzaemon recognized the arrangement as Temari sushi, from which Alice named her Temari Bento. However, he and the other judges were instructed by Alice to eat the sushi in a specific order, and were greatly impressed by each successive sushi. The flavor and shape of the dish was so unique and well-prepared, it prompted Senzaemon to imagine that Alice's dish was similar to a Traditional Japanese Restaurant Banquet. He then got up from his seat and stripped in response to Alice's dish which was overflowing ''with wisdom. Many of the students in the audience watched in horror as they could never reach Alice's caliber. However, Senzaemon was pleased to know that there was still a chef, who had the mettle to challenge an uncompromising opponent. Sōma followed up by presenting his Evolved Nori Bento. He and the other judges were surprised that Sōma used a layered bento box instead of a square container. As Sōma and Alice exchanged a few words, Senzaemon was constantly surprised with what each box revealed. However, he opened the final box to find mysterious black drops on the rice, which Sōma revealed as Nori Flavor Bombs. Finally, a Kudzu Sauce was unveiled and added to the Nori Bento. When Alice questioned the concept of Sōma's bento, Senzaemon unexpectedly stepped in and answered for Sōma. He told her that Sōma did not only focus only on the technical side of the dish, but the emotional aspect as well. Moments later, Senzaemon declared that Sōma was the victor of the match, much to everyone's surprise. Shortly after, the second round between Megumi Tadokoro and Ryō Kurokiba began with the culinary theme: Ramen. As the match started, Senzaemon talked wtih Ōizumi about the history and popularity of ramen. Senzaemon further noted that using the experience they had gained will determine whether or not, their ramen dish will exposed the chef's true worth. When both contestants unveiled their seafood soup, Senzaemon complimented Megumi's soup and to enhance his ramen experience, he and the other judges left their tables to visit both Ryō and Megumi's kitchen areas. Ryō presented his ramen dish first, which he called Soupe De Poisson Ramen. The judges were overwhelmed by the strong impact of his dish. However, as most judges submit to his dish, Senzaemon Nakiri remained unfazed. He directly challenged Ryō's dish and was impressed enough to strip without making a single movement. Senzaemon commended his strength and admired his courage. Afterwards, Megumi calmly presented her dish, a Kozuyu Chicken Soy Sauce Ramen, to Senzaemon and the other judges. Taking the first bite, Senzaemon praised her dish and noted the differences between her dish and Ryō's. As the judges concluded their judging of Megumi's dish, Senzaemon took out his brush to declare the winner. However, Senzaemon did not strip for Megumi's dish unlike he did for Ryō and, in the end, Megumi lost the match. After the match, Senzaemon and the other judges made their way out of the arena, and were greeted by Erina. However, Senzaemon pardoned himself and went to the bathroom. Before he even realized it, his fundoshi unraveled, which he indicated that Megumi held immeasurable amount of potential and referred the 92nd Generation as the "Jewel Generation". Quarterfinals: Day Two ''Main article: Aldini Vs. Mimasaka Quarterfinal Shokugeki On the second day of Main Tournament Quarterfinals, it was announced to the audience that the culinary theme of the third round was Hamburger. Senzaemon once again appeared as the one of the judges and gave a brief description of the dish. Then, the contestants Hisako Arato and Akira Hayama arrived into the arena. As their match began, Senzaemon and the other judges observed both contestants as they revealed their ingredients. However, he focused on Hisako with great interests, as she proceeded to mercilessly butcher her live turtle and drained the blood. Hisako presented her dish first, a Soft-Shelled Turtle Hamburger. As the judges began to eat her dish, he informed the crowd that only the judges who had eaten the burger itself could understand its power. Senzaemon then stood up and stripped his top while posing a fighting stance. Shortly after, Akira unveiled his dish, a Kofta Kebab Burger. While the other judges was completely engrossed by the dish, Senzaemon had enough control of himself to fully pick out the secrets of the burger. After Akira lectured Hisako about their disparity, without a single doubt in the judges' minds, Senzaemon declared Akira as the winner of the match. Before the fourth round began, a shocking announcement was made: a ''Shokugeki'' between Takumi Aldini and Subaru Mimasaka would be held. Upon receiving the news, Senzaemon stated it was possible a Shokugeki ''to take place in the middle of the Autumn Election as long as both parties have an agreement, despite the time and place. He approached Hisanao Kageura, the president of the ''Shokugeki ''Administrative Bureau, to discuss the protocols and conditions of the match. As the contestants made their way into the arena, Senzaemon and the other judges arrived at the judges' table, where it was announced to the audience that the match will be a full fashion ''Shokugeki with the theme being desserts. As the match began, Subaru and Takumi had the same ingredients, much to everyone's surprise. At the judges' table, Senzaemon was handed a document by Hisanao, regarding Subaru's previous Shokugekis, ''which revealed that he made the same dishes as his opponents. Despite opposition from the other judges, Senzaemon allowed the match to continue as there was no rules that would admonish Subaru. Subaru presented his dish first, an Improved Three-Layer Semifreddo. Despite the lack of originality, Senzaemon and the other judges could not deny that his dessert dish was delicious. Afterwards, Takumi presented his dessert dish, which Senzaemon named it a Lemon Curd Italiano Semifreddo because Takumi added lemon curd as a fourth layer. However, even with the change, Senzaemon declared Subaru as the victor of the match, much to everyone's dismay. The following week, Senzaemon was walking through Nakiri mansion with his assistant. He saw Erina and Sōma together in the kitchen, then his assistant informed him that he would become the head judge for the Finals, and the selection of the remaining judges. Finals Finally, the day of the Finals arrived. After the three contestants brandished their pacific saury, Senzaemon, along with Gin Dōjima and Leonora Nakiri, was introduced as the judges for the Finals by Satoshi Isshiki. Shortly after, Senzaemon was convinced by Alice to allow her to stay by the judging table, much to Erina's annoyance. As the roof opened, the vast night sky could be seen just as the moon started to emerge above the arena. With the path of the moon as the timer for the match, the Finals began. As the first one done with his dish, Ryō's presented his dish, an Autumn Pacific Saury Cartoccio to the judges. The bag was still boiling hot, but as the judges opened them, an explosion of aroma escaped from the bags, submerging the judges in the smell of his seafood. However Gin was confused by the rich flavor despite the lack of seasoning. Before Ryō revealed his ingredient, Senzaemon mentioned it was the fragrance of herbs, much to the judges' surprise. Ryō brought out some herb butter which he placed in the bags before putting in the oven. This caused the fish and other ingredients to slowly marinate in it. Afterwards, Senzaemon stripped off his robe and the judges were thoroughly impressed. Akira then presented his Scorched Pacific Saury Carpaccio. However, Senzaemon and the other judges seem confused by what seemed to be an hors d'oeuvre dish, but Akira assured them that his dish was a main course as he pulled out a cooking torch. After lightly searing his dish, Senzaemon immediately recognized that he only used a single spice: Allspice. As the judges ate his dish, the reception was overwhelmingly positive and appeared to win the judges over Ryō's dish. With time ticking down, Sōma finally finished his dish, a takikomi gohan, and presented it to the judges. Senzaemon was impressed by the permeation of the saury's flavor in his mouth, but did not stripped off his robe. When Sōma asked if he and the other judges would like seconds, none of them moved. However, just before the round ended, Senzaemon was interested enough to give Sōma's dish a second taste when he brandished a pot of soy milk, transforming his takikomi gohan into a Oja-Style Pacific Saury Takikomi Gohan. As Senzaemon ate the dish, the flavor caused him to instantly strip his robe without moving. With the dish judging round over, the final verdict was at hand. The judges praised the competitors for their splendid dishes and performance. However, the deciding factor for the match was the person who could display who they were as a chef through their cooking the most. Akira was declared the winner of the 43rd Autumn Election with Sōma and Ryō placing second. As the award ceremony concluded, Senzaemon stated that, after today, another new "jewel" was born. Stagiaire ''Main article: Stagiaire Arc (To be added) Moon Banquet Festival Main article: Moon Banquet Festival Arc (To be added) Cooking Style Senzaemon's cooking style has not been shown. However, he is an extremely well respected figurehead in the culinary industry and has a deep wealth of knowledge of cooking. Misc. Skills *'Caligraphy' - Senzaemon is highly adept at calligraphy, able to write out Sōma's name on an extremely large paper with an equally large pen brush in a matter of seconds. Trivia *Senzaemon uses the kanji for Hermit or Wizard (Sen), Left (Sa), Defense or Protection (E), and Gate (Mon). Nakiri uses the kanji for To Mow Down (Na) and Limit (Kiri). References zh:薙切仙左衛門 Category:Male Characters Category:Tōtsuki Culinary Academy Staff Category:Nakiri Family Category:Judge Category:Chef